The Louisiana Peach Festival is known as one of the longest running festivals in the state of Louisiana. With that comes a certain event that many young girls look forward to each year — the Peach Pageant.
Madeline Clement, now 6 years old, was the 2011 Princess Peach and said her favorite part about the event was being in the parade.
“We got to ride with my friend Ella and throw candy to everyone,” she said. “But we ran out way before it was over, because we were throwing too much.”

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I know you get tired of hearing me say how busy I am, so I probably shouldn’t tell you this week is extra so with an obligation away from home every single day, culminating with the widow’s banquet on Saturday and church on Sunday.
I am most excited about my invitation to join the Dallas Christian Writers’ Guild. My first meeting is May 7. I’m excited because my novel has definitely turned into a Christian novel, and I’ve been told I can bring three pages to be critiqued by members. However, I will have to make copies for 10 members, and each will then bring back their critique to the next meeting.

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The Ruston Area Music Teachers Association recently held their annual Solo Festival at Louisiana Tech University where 146 students were registered to compete in piano or vocal solo competition.
From each grade division, students receiving a score of 98-100 were invited to perform on an afternoon recital where they received a Superior Plus Award ribbon for their performance, and one winner from each division was awarded a trophy as the Overall Winner for their age group. Performing on the afternoon recitals were:

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Assembly of God
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First Assembly
of God
“Living in the Spirit” class at 9:45 a.m. on Sunday will help you understand the Holy Spirit’s role in your life. Children’s church at 10:45 a.m. will teach your children to know God and the Bible. Nursery up through age 3 is provided on Sundays at 10:45 a.m. and by request on Sunday night and Wednesday at 6 p.m.
Our sixth-12th grade youth ministry is growing. Join us at 6 p.m. Sundays. We also invite you to come pray with us. For more information, call 255-8932 or email fishin4men@bellsouth.net.
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Baptist
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Calvary

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Faculty and staff at Louisiana Tech University got a refresher course on the City of Ruston Thursday night when Tech’s University Senate hosted a forum at University Hall regarding Ruston and how its development will relate to the university now and in the future.
The forum, titled, “The Future of Ruston: The Progress and Development in Ruston and How it Will Impact the University,” informed the audience on different aspects of the city, with four different guest speakers providing their own bit of information about Ruston.

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Third Judicial District Judge Jay McCallum accepted a plea of guilty from defendant Daniel Champ to one count of attempted second degree murder and one count of aggravated battery while in court on Tuesday.
Pursuant to the terms of the plea agreement, Champ was sentenced to 30 years at hard labor on the attempted murder charge and five years at hard labor on the battery charges with the sentences to run concurrently.
Court records reveal that in the early morning hours of July 23, 2011, Champ traveled from Homer to the Executive Blues Lounge located off of the Interstate 20 service road in Grambling.

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Sometimes area residents may spot individuals selling cats, dogs or other animals in parking lots or road rights-of-way around town.
Although the Lincoln Parish Police Jury is seeking legislative authority to prohibit the roadside sale of animals outside the municipal boundaries, these sales are already illegal within Ruston city limits.
City of Ruston Planning Administrator Pat Doane said, in fact, those selling “companion animals” in public parking lots or rights-of-way are in violation of multiple city ordinances.

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American Cancer Society Community Representative Maura Koonz has a personal story about why she works at the American Cancer Society. It involves three very special women in her life.
Koonz had a childhood similar to other children. She would spend hours outside on her family’s dairy and horse farm. Her life seemed normal with the exception of one thing, cancer.
Within a year, she lost both her grandmothers to lymphoma and ovarian cancer and at the age of 34, her mother, Margaret, was diagnosed with breast cancer.

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Bethel Christian School will be presenting “The BIG Serve” project community events the week of April 23-28. The entire student body is working to raise $50,000 to replace the gym roof and increase teacher salaries. All of the students are involved with various projects to serve the community. Grade level projects include:

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Lincoln Parish residents will be asked to vote on three millage tax renewals and one new sales tax Saturday.
The school board renewals include a parishwide tax of 10.5 mills and a Ruston district tax for 2.51 mills. One mill is equal to $1 of tax per every $1,000 of real estate value above the $75,000 homestead exemption amount.
The parishwide tax is restricted for use on purchasing textbooks, instructional materials and school buses; constructing, operating and maintaining school buildings and facilities; offsetting reductions in federal and state school funding; funding mandated federal and state programs and funding employee and retiree health insurance.

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